A man and wife riding a Goldwing motorcycle in Kosciusko County late Thursday morning were ejected in a crash on U.S. 30 west of Pierceton.

Paula M. Harwood, 39, of Bourbonnais, Ill., was in critical condition with a severe head injury, and the county crash investigation team issued a statement saying she was likely struck by the Honda motorcycle as it was flipping and rotating from the crash. She was flown to a hospital in Fort Wayne in critical condition, the statement said.

Her husband, Thomas C. Harwood, 44, sustained serious injuries to his head and extremities, including extensive road-rash, the statement said.

The crash happened about 11:45 a.m. near County Road 450 East, and witnesses told police the rear wheel blew before the crash.

Neither rider was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, the statement said.

TARLTON --An Ashville woman died after a Saturday motorcycle crash on Ohio 56 East in Pickaway County.

Glenna Slusher, 62, was a passenger on a 2007 Suzuki driven by Ralph Slusher, 61, of Ashville, when the motorcycle went off the right side of the westbound lane of Ohio 56 near South Perry Road about 4:15 p.m. Saturday, according to the Pickaway County Sheriff's Office. The motorcycle crashed into a guard rail and ejected them both several feet from the motorcycle.

Both were taken to Berger Hospital where Glenna Slusher was flown by medical helicopter to Grant Medical Center in Columbus. She later died at the hospital. Ralph Slusher also was taken by ambulance from Berger to Grant where he was listed in stable condition Sunday evening.

The sheriff's office was assisted at the scene by Tarlton Fire and EMS and Pickaway Township EMS. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

My brother and I saw SO MANY bikes on the way back north from Marietta, just on Rts 26 and 800 alone. I'm betting 95% were no helmet, no gear, and a fair number of those were passengers with flip flops and shorts. I wondered, every time we passed by some bikers, whether they were thinking, "What an idiot" when they saw me coming through in full gear, or whether they thought, "I should wear more gear."